ERIC Number: EJ1116733
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0143-4632
EISSN: N/A
English Proficiency and Acculturation among Chinese Immigrant Youth in Canada: A Reciprocal Relationship
Jia, Fanli; Gottardo, Alexandra; Chen, Xi; Koh, Pohwee; Pasquarella, Adrian
Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, v37 n8 p774-782 2016
The main focus of this study was to refine our understanding of the link between English proficiency and mainstream acculturation in adolescent Chinese immigrants. The sample consisted of 112 adolescents in grades 7-12 living in urban areas in southern Ontario, Canada. English proficiency was assessed individually using standardised tests of vocabulary knowledge, reading comprehension, and reading fluency. Mainstream acculturation was measured by the Vancouver Index of Acculturation. The results of structural equation modelling support a reciprocal relationship between English proficiency and mainstream acculturation after controlling for age, length of residence in Canada, and nonverbal reasoning. The results suggest that learning English may be one important variable affecting motivation for cultural immersion in immigrant youth.
Descriptors: English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Immigrants, Acculturation, Structural Equation Models, Language Proficiency, Foreign Countries, Asians, Secondary School Students, Correlation, Language Tests, Vocabulary Skills, Age Differences, Nonverbal Ability, Questionnaires, Student Attitudes, Reading Fluency, Reading Comprehension, Models, Statistical Analysis, Goodness of Fit
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A